Merry Christmas! We're so thankful you joined us for our Christmas Arise Gathering. We pray this message is encouraging to you and your groups!
Discussion Questions
1.How do you personally view celebration in your walk with God? Are there times when you find it hard to celebrate due to circumstances or personal feelings?
2.Have you ever had an assumption about God (ex.being disappointed in you, being distant) that has made it difficult to celebrate in relationship with Him?
3. Why do you think God commands us to celebrate—what is the deeper purpose behind it? The Bible often links celebration to remembering God's faithfulness and the good news of the gospel. How do celebrations help you remember God's goodness and what He has done for you?
4.How does celebrating even in difficult seasons show faith in God's ultimate victory? Can you think of a moment when choosing to celebrate, despite hardship, brought you closer to God or helped you see His provision?
5.Are there ways you can cultivate a childlike faith that leans into celebration and joy?
6.How does living a life of celebration impact those around us, especially those who don’t know Christ?
If you’d like to listen to the meditation Pastor Melodi referenced, you can click here. You will need to download the app for FREE to listen. The specific date of entry, is October 30, 2024 on “Surrender.”
Questions for Reflection:
1. What kinds of burdens do we try to carry on our own instead of giving them to Jesus?
2. How does Paul’s command to "not be anxious about anything" challenge the way we normally respond to worry? How can we create space in our lives to "come to God" with our worries and burdens?
3. What role does thanksgiving play in finding peace, according to Philippians 4? How can this practice shift our perspective?
4. How does seeking "the Kingdom of God above all else" change our priorities and concerns?
5. Why do we often struggle to cast our anxieties on Jesus instead of on others? What happens when we try to carry them alone?
6. How do we struggle with the simplicity of Jesus' invitation to trust Him? What are we tempted to add to this simple act of faith?
7. How did Jesus prioritize God’s will over the expectations of others? How can we follow His example in our own lives?
*Trigger Warning: This podcast contains a brief story with a mention of sucide that may be triggering for some individuals.*
Discussion Questions:
1. Recap Encounter Weekend together! If you and your group attended, what were stand-out moments for you? Did the Lord speak anything specific to you? Take a few moments for each person to share a little about their experience.
2. It’s time to share! As you were doing each Guidepost, can you share about what God showed you? Was there a thread in these moments?
3. What did you like about the Guidebook? What was challenging for you?
4. Did you recognize any lies that you were believing? What does the Word say about what you believe? How are you renewing your mind with this Truth?
5. How can you apply what you’ve learned from the Guidebook in your regular quiet time?
Be sure to close your time together praying with and for one another.
Thank you for coming along on this journey with us. Now that you're equipped with the tools, we hope you see it is possible to have a direct, intimate, and dynamic relationship with God. God-Encounters can and should be a normal part of a believer's everyday life. And our prayer is that they will now be part of yours! The journey has only just begun.
“This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: Write down for the record everything I have said to you.” Jeremiah 30:2
DEVOTIONAL GUIDE:
Download the Arise Encounter Guidebook HERE.
With each podcast, we've selected a worship song that we feel will encourage you on your journey. Today's Song: For My Good by Maverick City – Listen Here.
God's Word is concrete, objective certainties about who God is and how He feels about you, as revealed by God Himself, in the Holy Scriptures. How do my Core Beliefs about God hold up to what He says in His Word?
DEVOTIONAL GUIDE:
Download the Arise Encounter Guidebook HERE.
WORSHIP:
With each podcast, we've selected a worship song that we feel will encourage you on your journey. Today's Song: Man of Your Word by Maverick City – Listen Here.
We're defining Core Beliefs as belief systems (developed over time) that drive your behavior and affect how you interact with God. Have I believed things about God that aren’t true?
DEVOTIONAL GUIDE:
Download the Arise Encounter Guidebook HERE.
WORSHIP SONG:
With each podcast, we've selected a worship song that we feel will encourage you on your journey. Today's Song: The Father's Song by Upperroom – Listen Here.
We're defining Crossroad Events as life-altering circumstances that dramatically change the trajectory of your life. Think of these as “fork-in-the-road” life moments—good or bad—that set you on your current course. Could these events be affecting more of my life than I realize?
DEVOTIONAL GUIDE:
Download the Arise Encounter Guidebook HERE.
WORSHIP SONG:
With each podcast, we've selected a worship song that we feel will encourage you on your journey. Today's Song: Good Plans by Red Rocks Worship – Listen Here.
We're defining God-Moments as moments of relational communication (or attempted communication) between you and the LORD. Often subtle, think of these as the connection points in your relationship with God. “Could God be speaking to me without me knowing it?”
DEVOTIONAL GUIDE:
Download the Arise Encounter Guidebook HERE.
WORSHIP SONG:
With each podcast, we've selected a worship song that we feel will encourage you on your journey. Today's Song: Just As I Am by Carrie Underwood – Listen Here.
Welcome to our Encounter 2024 Arise Encounter Guidebook podcast mini-series! We're so grateful to have you joining us on this journey. We're praying for you every step of the way. Lean in, we believe God is waiting to have an encounter with YOU!
My heart has heard You say, “Come and talk with me.” And my heart responds, “LORD, I am coming.” Psalm 27:8
DEVOTIONAL GUIDE:
Download the Arise Encounter Guidepost HERE.
WORSHIP SONG:
With each podcast, we've selected a worship song that we feel will encourage you on your journey. Today's Song: This is Why by Lifeline Worship – Listen Here.
If you’ve ever wondered how to facilitate group conversation with multiple personalities, this conversation with Pastor Addy and Kayla is for you! They share about the seven personality types and how you can confidently approach any personality. Thanks for tuning in!
Listen to Kayla + Laura share the value of having healthy Host + Co-Host relationships. They also share practical tips in how to find the right co-host and facilitate this kind of relationship! We hope this message will encourage you, thanks for listening!
Join Vickie and Michelle as they discuss how to have Biblical + Confident conflict resolution–with your co-host and within your groups. We pray that you’ll be encouraged in how to confidently manage conflict in your home groups. Thanks for joining us!
Join us for a short devotional from Pastor Melodi Hawley.
Selah means an intentional pause. Before your day begins, in the middle, or before bed, take a moment to listen to the devo and spend a few moments with the Lord. We pray God speaks to you and encourages you.
We love you,
Pastor Melodi + The Arise Team
Join us for a short devotional from Pastor Melodi Hawley.
Selah means an intentional pause. Before your day begins, in the middle, or before bed, take a moment to listen to the devo and spend a few moments with the Lord. We pray God speaks to you and encourages you.
We love you,
Pastor Melodi + The Arise Team
Join us for a short devotional from Pastor Melodi Hawley.
Selah means an intentional pause. Before your day begins, in the middle, or before bed, take a moment to listen to the devo and spend a few moments with the Lord. We pray God speaks to you and encourages you.
We love you,
Pastor Melodi + The Arise Team
If you've ever been intimated to open the Bible or start having quiet time, this episode is for you. We are so grateful to have I Heart Church Children's Pastor, Addy Farley, join us today for the topic of approaching the Word of God with confidence! Pastor Addy, along with Kayla, offer some practical tips on how to enjoy time in the Word and how to apply what you're reading to your life. We pray this episode is an encouragement to you.
If you are interested in more information about Arise Women's Ministry, you can visit us online at arisewomensconference.com or on Facebook or Instagram.
In this episode, Kayla and Michelle discuss deeper the value of prayer in our lives and some practical steps on how to pray confidently in small groups and one-on-one. We pray that this episode will be a blessing to you.
If you're interested in more information about Arise Women's Ministry, you can check us out online at arisewomensconference.com or on social media.
Have you realized the gift that prayer is in your life? Join Kayla and Michelle today as they discuss this beautiful gift and why it is so important to our relationship with the Lord.
You can find out more about Arise Women's Ministry online at arisewomensconference.com or by following us on Facebook or Instagram.
This month we are looking for ways to ease the burden of the lowly. Being an Anti-Pharisee means that we are looking for ways to put others above ourselves. We are so thankful for all the beautiful ways you and your teams are getting out there to serve this summer. Keep it up! We are praying for you, Arise Sisterhood.
When you go out and serve this month, remember that what you are doing is bigger than you think. Serving sets you up to have an encounter with Heaven, to embrace others, and live aware that you are serving God by giving sacrafically. We are praying for you as you go out and serve your city!
Need ideas? Find out more information at arisewomensconference.com.